Mr Michael Noonan has demanded that the Minister for Justice, John O'Donoghue, withdraw allegations that 'a cabal of wealthy business interests' financed Mr Noonan's bid for Fine Gael party leadership.
Earlier today, Mr O'Donoghue described as "inadequate and evasive" Mr Noonan's response to his demand that Mr Noonan publicise the names of the anonymous business interests who Mr O'Donoghue claims, spent "significant" sums of money to manipulate public opinion in the run-up to the leadership contest.
"The information as to the identity of the corporate cabal of wealthy business interests who commissioned, paid and leaked an opinion poll with a view to undermining the leadership of John Bruton is within Michael Noonan's procurement," said Mr O'Donoghue.
"As leader of Fine Gael he has a democratic duty to ask the question - and disclose the answer."
However, Mr Noonan denies the allegations and says that no opinion poll questioning the popularity of an alternative party leader to John Bruton had ever been done on his behalf, or with his knowledge.
"The Justice Minister, John O'Donoghue, should be fully occupied in trying to bring decent ethical standards back into Fianna Fáil and emphasising . . . that a new political morality must be established in his party.
". . .I call on John O'Donoghue to immediately withdraw the false allegations he has made about me this morning."
Today's row follows last Friday's announcement by Mr Noonan that Fine Gael would introduce a private members bill in the Dáil banning all corporate donations to political parties if elected and that no further corporate donations could be accepted by Fine Gael members.
Meanwhile, Deputy Jim Mitchell tonight denied that Michael Noonan was aware of, or had any involvement in the poll. He also said that the cost of the poll is to be borne equally by 20 Fine Gael supporters in their personal capacity and that the cost to each will be less than £500.